Preschoolers are learning to talk about their feelings and the feelings of others. Social-emotional development, however, involves more than just expressing emotions. It includes taking turns, becoming independent in following routines, interacting more with peers, engaging in meaningful relationships with others, controlling emotions, and developing a positive self-image. These skills are crucial for children’s successful participation in school and home experiences and for their overall growth. These skills build children’s social-emotional abilities that influence their success in school and in life.
By using responsive classroom techniques we are able to foster social and emotional growth with our students listed below are some of the ways we do this:
-Be responsive to children’s interaction attempts and build on what children say.
-Engage in frequent, developmentally appropriate social interactions with children and adults throughout your daily experiences and routines.Follow children’s leads, cues and preferences.
-Include feeling words in conversations with children (ie. I feel sad, I feel mad). Make books available that discuss feelings and social interactions.
-Ask children meaningful questions about their actions, interests, events and feelings.
-Encourage children to use their words and talk to their peers when conflicts arise.Help them develop problem solving skills with peers. Use developmentally appropriate language and provide conversation models and cues for children to follow if they need help solving a problem. –
-Ensure that you are sensitive to children’s unique needs, experiences, and backgrounds.
As preschoolers social and emotional skills develop they will be able to interact with peers for longer periods of time, collaborate with others to finish tasks or work on projects , they will help others to finish tasks or offer to help, they will understand what is acceptable behavior in class and what is not (they will call out students who are not following the rules). Developing these skills make it possible for students to be successful in the classroom and build relationships with others as well as develop and learn new skills.
